Very hard to find. I lucked out and saw one and got it on sale over a month ago. Haven't seen it since. The Mandalorian stuff appeals to both collectors and kids (and scalpers). I've seen the deluxe pack just a few times, but I've yet to see the single card Death Watch Mando (which is the same as the battle pack, I think).

So, with the price of Battle Packs up to 28 bucks at my TRU, it is time to go over this again, merely for the sake of posterity:

2008: Hasbro states that, due to the economy and the need to keep Battle Packs at their affordable 20 dollar price point, packs will now include 4 figures rather than the 5 figures that we've been used to since the packs were first introduced in 2005. The first pack to show this overtly is the "Shield Generator Assault" figure which dropped a second Imperial Officer figure.

2009: Battle Pack prices increase at most retailers to between 23-25 dollars despite the dropping of the fifth figure. Strangely enough, those same packs seem to be including less value despite the price increases, most notably in packs with "larger" items included (i.e. 1 Gunship turret with 2 figures; the unarticulated and arguably uninteresting Gelagrub with Felucia Clone). Hasbro blames the economy.

2010: Hasbro announces that the majority of Battle Packs will now feature 100% repacks, although some will still include newer figures. Again, strangely enough, the majority of these repacks are figures that are already on the pegs in other assortments in different/better versions or, in some cases the exact same figure. And, once again, retailers jack up the price to 25 bucks even (WM and Target), even going up to 28 bucks at TRU. Cue Hasbro's "It's the economy, stupid" excuse any minute now.

As a collector, I'd rather see the BPs just go away completely or become unique retailer exclusives (ala the Target CW 4 packs this past fall) with new or redecoed figures instead of endless repacks. But, the point remains that, as part of what Hasbro has repeatedly claimed is a "kid-focused" item at an "affordable price point", right now the BPs are failing miserably. You can literally buy 4 figures at WM, better versions of the same characters, even, for the same price or less than you can buy the BPs at TRU. Sure, some of the Battle Packs with "new" figures are great (I've gotten more of the Mandalorian Warrior packs than I care to admit in public, and the Anti-Hailfire Droid set is a really nice set), but paying 28 bucks for Anakin/Obi-Wan/Dooku/Ventress in one box is quite simply a rip-off.

Oh well, at least they're not putting one figure that people really want to get in with three figures that people already have in abundance anymore. Huh? "Orto Plutonia"? I stand corrected.

Yeah, I would definitely prefer that they stop making BP's that are 100% re-packs. I loathe buying these, even at the cheaper prices. I would love to see these revert to store exclusives like the Target ones last Fall. Those were sweet.

At this point, I am happy with less product, and more emphasis on all new stuff.

Yeah, I would definitely prefer that they stop making BP's that are 100% re-packs. I loathe buying these, even at the cheaper prices. I would love to see these revert to store exclusives like the Target ones last Fall. Those were sweet.

At this point, I am happy with less product, and more emphasis on all new stuff.

Agreed - and if I wasn't also trying to secure an open complete set of all Clone Wars Battle Game Cards - I could totally skip the rip-off Anakin/Obi-Wan/Dooku/Ventress BPs to open as well...

What I find amazing is that the Battle Packs have now risen to twice the price of the Comic 2-packs. With the Comic 2-packs, I got two figures and a comic - and minimally 1/2 the figures in the set was something I didn't mind having in my collection, but most of the time, both figures were great additions.

With Battlepacks most of the time only one out of the four figures is something I wanted/needed and sometimes it's even zero of the figures in the pack. Sure there is a rare set like the ARC Troopers or the Mando Warriors or the Anti-Hailfire Droid Squad or the Clones vs. Droids set or even the Target Battlepacks this past fall, but beyond that, everything else has been a purchase motivated by MIB collection completeness.

Just like if a comic pack was guaranteed to have at least 1 figure that was mostly new, I think the battle packs should have at least 2 figures that are mostly new. Especially with the fact that they now sell for $24+ regardless of where you shop.

« Last Edit: December 27, 2010, 05:03 PM by Pete_Fett »

Logged

Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

Only thing I can think of that you could conceivably add to that list would be the Euro-exclusive "Warriors & Droids" set, but that is technically a multi-pack and good luck finding one outside of Toy Palace. (For some reason they want $85 for a repack of 6 figures, still don't get the math on that one)

I think Hasbro's holding some stuff back for SDCC where the media tie-ins maybe play a larger role in how they show things off. I think Clone Wars will outweigh Vintage come Summer's unveiling of crap then. Battlepacks may be there then, and I doubt they're improved much though the ARC ones were nice.